This research addresses itself to the use of gene cloning procedures, rapid DNA sequencing techniques and gene isolation procedures to provide a fine structural analysis of the human hemoglobin gene family. From such studies, we plan to determine the extent and gene duplication, the physical arrangement of the linked non-alpha globin genes, molecular basis of the beta-thalassemia syndrome and possible regulatory mechanisms of the globin gene family. By providing such data, this research may promote the advent of molecular therapy as a possible curative therapy for such inheritable hemoglobin disorders such as sickle cell anemia, delta beta-thalassemia, and Cooley's Anemia. To date, we have completed the nucleotide base sequence analysis of the human alpha globin genes, and demonstrated the production of globin-like products in E. coli transformed with recombinant DNA plasmids.